Gail Dines on porn and the degradation of women *

Jul 27th, 2010 | Filed by

“Pornography today is not your father’s Playboy. It’s hard-core, cruel, and brutal.”Read the rest



Tory MP faces arrest if he refuses to meet women in niqab *

Jul 26th, 2010 | Filed by

Lawyers for Liberty told Philip Hollobone his “threat” to refuse to meet constituents wearing the niqab is unlawful.… Read the rest



The horrors of female genital mutilation *

Jul 26th, 2010 | Filed by

Up to 2,000 British schoolgirls will suffer FGM during the holidays, but there have been no prosecutions to date.… Read the rest



The picture in Wikileaks docs is bleak *

Jul 26th, 2010 | Filed by

The docs sketch a war hamstrung by an Afghan government, police force and army of questionable loyalty and competence.… Read the rest



Wikileaks documents indicate Pakistan aids Taliban *

Jul 26th, 2010 | Filed by

Officials say portrait of ISI collaboration with Afghan insurgency is broadly consistent with other classified intelligence.… Read the rest



Tuesday around 6ish

Jul 25th, 2010 4:21 pm | By

It seems unlikely that there is anyone in the Seattle area who reads me but doesn’t read Pharyngula, but just in case there is, PZ is in town (in Auburn actually) and we’re going to meet up at the Pike Place Brewery so that Pharyngulites can buy us a beer. Cam and Josh will be there I think. Come along.… Read the rest



Stop that woman! *

Jul 25th, 2010 | Filed by

Wajiha Al-Huwaidar’s husband gets an automated SMS text message from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs whenever she leaves the country.… Read the rest



Barbara Forrest on Louisiana Science Education Act *

Jul 25th, 2010 | Filed by

The Louisiana Family Forum wrote the bill, assisted by the Discovery Institute.… Read the rest



No blasphemy for Russia *

Jul 25th, 2010 | Filed by

Two Russian museum curators were found guilty of “inciting religious hatred” for displaying a painting of Jesus with Mickey Mouse’s head.… Read the rest



Some solid information at last

Jul 25th, 2010 11:52 am | By

Jerry Coyne has done a post on “Tom Johnson” and “Exhibit A” and the mythical rudeness and savagery and tendency to spit and kick of the mythical “New Atheists.”

The upshot is, Exhibit A never happened. It was a story. The guy who played the part of “Tom Johnson” made it up. He has apologized to Jerry via email, and says he will apologize to other people soon.

So that’s that. The “new atheists are evil and Exhibit A may have happened” crowd are wrong, and we can stop arguing about it.

There’s another thing.

“Tom Johnson” (hereafter “TJ”) remains anonymous, though his identity is apparently known by Mooney, Jean Kazez, and others.  For a few weeks I have known

Read the rest


Jerry Coyne on “Tom Johnson” and “Exhibit A” *

Jul 25th, 2010 | Filed by

Actual information at last, from people who actually know. It never happened. The monster spitting atheists don’t exist.… Read the rest



Universities and the fight for reason and capitalism *

Jul 24th, 2010 | Filed by

A major bank donates millions to universities, conditional on the teaching of Ayn Rand’s novels in special courses extolling capitalism and self-interest.… Read the rest



Carol Everhart Roper reviews Does God Hate Women? *

Jul 24th, 2010 | Filed by

More favorably than Cristina Odone and Sholto Byrnes did.… Read the rest



New Scientist pulls story on creationist code *

Jul 24th, 2010 | Filed by

If somebody complains, out it goes.… Read the rest



How to spot a hidden religious agenda *

Jul 24th, 2010 | Filed by

An article removed from the New Scientist website because they “received a complaint about the contents.”… Read the rest



Make your vote count

Jul 24th, 2010 12:34 pm | By

Exactly. If only more people realized this.

It’s a question of integrity. If I don’t agree with some of the church’s most central teachings that rule out – on a spectrum from abomination to sinful – contraception, abortion, sex before marriage, homosexual sex, divorce and women priests, then I really shouldn’t be a member.

Quite right, not least because your membership does its bit to endorse those central teachings. Membership is a kind of vote – passive, but nonetheless countable. If you think some of the church’s most central teachings are reactionary and hostile to women, then quite right, you shouldn’t cast your vote for them.

I haven’t practised since I made my Confirmation, yet my name is still

Read the rest


Leaving the Catholic church is a matter of integrity *

Jul 24th, 2010 | Filed by

 If I don’t agree with some of the church’s most central teachings, then I really shouldn’t be a member.… Read the rest



Vatican complains of “secularist leanings” of BBC *

Jul 24th, 2010 | Filed by

“The BBC is unable to take the faith with the seriousness it deserves.”… Read the rest



Why Sherrod was thrown to the wolves *

Jul 24th, 2010 | Filed by

At the behest of a source whose track record should have set alarm bells ringing in the head of any responsible journalist.… Read the rest



IQ2 debate on rescinding invitation to pope *

Jul 24th, 2010 | Filed by

Johann Hari and David Aaronovitch for, Helena Kennedy and Philippe Sands against. Hari and Aaaro won.… Read the rest